Whether it's your first year at college or your fourth, starting school back up can get a little nerve racking. This weekend, make yourself a plan that'll get you back into the swing of things without any stress.

Study Hard

When it comes to studying, the one thing you'll want to nail down early on is your note-taking method. Everyone learns differently, so you'll have to find one that works for you. Pen and paper is still a favorite of ours, despite its low-tech nature. Actually writing things will help you learn them better, and you never have any of the hassle that comes with digital methods, and lets you organize yourself pretty much however you want. However, if you want something more high tech, a service like the brain-expandingEvernote or plain-textSimplenote can do wonders. You could even create a Frankenstein-like hybrid, writing your notes down on paper, scanning them into Evernote, and turning them into editable and searchable text.

Whether you're a student looking for supplemental learning or you're in the workforce but …
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Play Hard

Of course, in between all that studying, you're probably going to need to let loose a bit. The best thing you can do is budget your time, so your work is efficient and your play is stress-free. One of the best ways to do this is with Google Calendar, which not only lets you separate school and play with multiple calendars, but will also sync down to any mobile device you have. Don't party too hard, of course—you want to make sure you're well rested so you don't burn out.

Editor's note: It's been awhile since anyone on staff here has been a fresh-faced…
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Got any of your own great back to school tips? We're all ears; hit us up in the comments below.
You can contact Whitson Gordon, the author of this post, at whitson@lifehacker.com
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